I immediately said, smiling, "Trust to me;" and in another Minute had dropped his Arm and was walking off with _Lucy_, and in two or three Minutes more had secured _Penelope_ too. As we walked on briskly, _Pen_ said, "Hadn't we better stop for _Gatty_?" but I said, "No, she's close behind, and Mr. _Heavitree_ wants to have a little Talk with her for the last Time." This quite satisfied the artless Girls, who soon were busy chattering about the Loss of poor _Gatty_, and their Fears lest she might not have a safe Journey. They pointed out to me the North Star, and _Charles's_ Wain, and many other Stars or Planets whose Names I forget, and told me I might always know a Star from a Planet, because Stars twinkle and Planets do not. _Pen_ even added that _Sirius_, the Dog-Star, is sixty Times brighter than the Sun, which I'm free to think must have been a prodigious Blunder of hers. Who can believe it? Except indeed, Children, who swallow Incredibilities without any Trouble. Arrived at the Gate, we were surprised at _Gatty's_ coming up to us alone; yet I am certain I had had a Glimpse of two dark Figures following us the Minute before. Directly we got in-Doors, all was Bustle. Mrs. _Bowerbank_ was sure we must be perishing of Cold, and insisted on our going to Bed directly; and promising to send each of us a Basin of hot Gruel to eat in our Beds: Gruel well qualified with Wine, Nutmeg, and Sugar--Caudle, in Fact! It was no bad Thing to be thus coddled and comforted like Invalids while we felt quite well; and we were soon undressing as fast as we could. All but _Gatty_, who came up to me when I was about half undressed, to fetch a few Things she wanted, and to tell me she was going to sleep with her _Mother_. This was a Surprise and Disappointment to me; I had reckoned on a good Gossip over our Gruel, and on her telling me all about Mr. _Heavitree_ as soon as the Candle was put out. However, it seemed that the Thing had been settled, even before we started, in order that I might not be disturbed by her early Departure the next Morning; and her Box had already been carried down, and she said she wanted to spend her last Night with her _Mother_, so there was no more to be said. I noticed, however, as she kissed me, that her Eyelids were red with crying, but her Eyes beaming under them very bright. I said, "Good Night, but not good-bye; for I am resolved to see you off in the Morning." She said, "Oh, you must not think of it. All will be Bustle, and there will be no real Pleasure in seeing each other. I have quite got over my Trouble at going, now, and don't care at all about it." So she kissed me cheerfully, and repeated, "Good-Night and good-bye," and ran off. I was still resolved to get up in Time to see the Last of her; but I suppose the Caudle, being so strong, made me sleep heavier and later than usual; for though it was yet Dark when I got up, I found on going down Stairs that _Gatty_ had been gone a full Hour.